important

He’s buying time. Citing “substantial progress” in trade negotiations, President Donald Trump tweeted yesterday that he’ll extend the March 1 deadline for dramatically increasing tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports. He didn’t say how long the extension would last, but floated a possible summit with President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago if all goes well in order “to conclude an agreement.”

What’s the biggest challenge? While the two sides have reportedly agreed on agriculture and intellectual property protections, experts say the real key for Washington is getting Beijing to budge on ending subsidies to state firms.

Making Progress

Following deadly clashes over the weekend between protesters and security forces, as well as mostly failed attempts to deliver humanitarian aid to Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro appears to hold the upper hand. To discuss how best to pressure him, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is traveling to Colombia today to meet with opposition leader Juan Guaidó and regional allies.

Is military intervention likely? That’s what some experts now believe — though most are cautioning against it, arguing it would give Maduro the confrontation he’s looking for.

Pushing Forward

“As long as there’s no testing, we’re happy.” So said President Trump as he prepared to depart for Hanoi, where he’ll meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week to further develop their “very, very good relationship.” Trump claimed Pyongyang could become one of the world’s “great economic powers” if it ditched its nuclear weapons, but also said he’s “not in a rush” to force the issue.

How is Vietnam preparing? From bars and boutiques to hairdressers, vendors across the socialist nation are ready to cash in, while officials are promoting their country as “an attractive and safe destination.”

Check out OZY’s latest Donald Dossier on Trump’s second round with Kim.

Gearing Up

Ending a landmark summit yesterday, Pope Francis called for “an all-out battle” against sexual abuse by Catholic clergymen. Yet despite being more vocal than his predecessors, he faces criticism for failing to offer a detailed plan. One advocate called his remarks “a catastrophic misreading of the grief and outrage of the faithful.”

What’s the most urgent step? Observers believe promoting a “zero tolerance” policy aimed at defrocking convicted priests and their superiors is a key point that the Vatican hasn’t addressed.

In Short

intriguing

The film scored the top honor at Sunday’s glitzy 91st annual Academy Awards ceremony, while Roma amassed prizes for best director, foreign language film and cinematography. Olivia Colman and Rami Malek walked away with best lead performances for The Favourite andBohemian Rhapsody, while director Spike Lee gave a fiery speech about slavery and racism after his BlacKkKlansman won best adapted screenplay.

How will history remember the 2019 Oscars? Observers suggest notable wins by women and people of color will keep pushing the industry in a more diversity-friendly direction.

The Winner Is...

According to a United Nations report released yesterday, 3,804 civilians — including 927 children — were killed last year, an increase of 11 percent since 2017. A spike in suicide bombings by armed opposition groups was mostly to blame for the “deeply disturbing and wholly unacceptable” death toll. More than 32,000 have been killed since the U.N. began tracking civilian deaths in 2009.

Is there any hope for peace? Whatever solution is reached in ongoing talks between the Taliban and the U.S. will be complicated by the fact that Afghanistan’s government isn’t participating.

Grim Milestone

With hard-to-beat prices and no ethical qualms about buyers, China’s becoming a key player in a weapons market traditionally dominated by the West, Russia and Israel, OZY reports. From mine-clearing robots to unmanned helicopters, its high-tech goodies are especially welcomed by countries facing U.S.-led sanctions. For example, China is helping Pakistan develop intercontinental ballistic missiles, and is providing laser defenses to Venezuela.

Gun Slingers

They’re calling it out. Researchers from the University of Iowa and Purdue University have uncovered three new security gaps that could allow hackers to intercept calls and track phone locations — just like police surveillance devices currently do. They say the vulnerability is the first to affect both 4G and 5G, despite enhanced security efforts in the next-generation tech.

Are we as safe as we think? Maybe not: Last year, the same researchers found 10 different 4G flaws that let hackers snoop on phone calls and text messages or create false emergency alerts.

Weak Link

After the official Minnesota Timberwolves Twitter account mocked the rapper’s halftime show in Milwaukee Saturday night, he “cursed” the team, saying it won’t win a championship for 30 years. Ja Rule started his set questioning why he was playing at a ’90s-themed night before technical issues delayed his performance. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was seen taking warm-up shots before the halftime show was even finished.